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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27439792">Supergirl Versus the Stolen Memories</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chassycat/pseuds/Chassycat'>Chassycat</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supergirl (TV 2015)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Because Season 6 Will Let Me Down, Canon Compliant, Character Study, Endgame Kara Danvers/Mon-El, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Post-Crisis, Time Travel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 02:02:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,510</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27439792</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chassycat/pseuds/Chassycat</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Part of my NaNoWriMo 2020 project</p><p>Winn contacts Kara—the Legion needs Supergirl to come to the 31st century and help quell an emerging problem on a planet called Talok VIII that's causing ripples of unease throughout the planetary alliances the Legion is charged with protecting. Talok VIII also happens to be the home planet of two Legionnaires—Shadow Lass and Shadow Kid—one of whom had recently gone missing.</p><p>What Kara doesn't know is that in Mon-El's new future Earth Prime reality, the Music Meister never taught Kara a lesson about love, and since she hadn't forgiven Mon-El when he sacrificed his life to save hers, she hadn't tried to save him (as far as he knows) when he agreed to go back to Daxam with his parents. He's still a hero and leader of the Legion. But he's... cranky.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kara Danvers/Mon-El</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In Mon-El's new future Earth Prime reality, the Music Meister never taught Kara a lesson about love, and since she hadn't forgiven Mon-El when he sacrificed his life to save hers, she hadn't tried to save him (as far as he knows) when he agreed to go back to Daxam with his parents. He's still a hero and leader of the Legion. But he's... cranky.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I wrote this as a one-shot as a way to flesh out the characterization of a post-Crisis Mon-El who has a very different memory of his time on Earth.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“My mother killed him in front of me, you know.”</p><p>Startled, Kara turned around so she could see Mon-El. “What?”</p><p>“My mother,” Mon-El said, like this was just any old conversation. Like they were talking about what they'd be having for lunch. “She killed him. My father. He had the nerve to suggest my ideas for a more democratic Daxam might have merit. So she pulled a knife from her robes and she stabbed him through the heart.”</p><p>Kara stared, wide-eyed, not able to move or say a word. Mon-El was far away, in some dark place, and she desperately wanted to reach out to him, bring him back into the light. But she couldn't. And he didn’t want that from her anyway. Didn’t want <em>her</em>.</p><p>“‘You’ve betrayed me, my love’ she said. Those were her exact words. ‘You’ve betrayed me.’ And then she watched him—her ‘love’—bleed out," Mon-El continued, "like it was normal, like she hadn't just murdered her husband—my <em>father</em>—because he disagreed with her." Mon-El's voice was low—controlled—but full of something bitter and dark that Kara had never seen in <em>her</em> Mon-El.</p><p>Except, this <em>was</em> her Mon-El. Which meant he always had this darkness inside of him, but because he had people he knew loved and believed in him, he never let it take hold—never allowed it to overtake him. But this version of her Mon-El didn’t know Kara loved him and believed in him. Forgave him. Fought for him.</p><p>And she couldn’t tell him. She couldn’t say a word.</p><p>She’d never felt so helpless.</p><p>“I’m—I’m so sorry, Mon-El...” she started, but he waved away her apology.</p><p>“Why?" Mon-El shook his head and shrugged. "You didn’t do anything.”</p><p>Kara wished she could see his face, maybe see where he was going with this, but he was staring intently at a piece of kindling he'd picked up on his way over to the campfire and his expression was lost in shadows.</p><p>“That’s kind of the point, really,” Mon-El continued. “You didn’t—<em>do</em>—anything. You just—let them take me.”</p><p>He finally raised his eyes to hers and Kara gasped, not even remotely ready for the pain… and anger... and hatred she saw in his darkened eyes. She sat frozen, caught in his gaze.</p><p>“You met them, Kara. You knew what they were. I told you over and over again that my parents were not good people. I told you—” he lowered his voice, which had become louder with each statement—no, each accusation, “—I told you how they treated me growing up.”</p><p>Kara gulped, tried again, “I... Mon-El, I—”</p><p>Mon-El turned and tossed the kindling he'd been holding into the fire, sending sparks flying, and kept going, ignoring Kara's stuttering attempts at speech. He stared into the flames. “You believing in me? Seeing the good in me?” His voice was quiet, but there was an edge to it. Kara knew he was beyond hearing anything but the pain he was reliving in his post-Crisis memories. “It meant everything, Kara. Everything.”</p><p>He took a deep breath and Kara noticed his hands clenching and un-clenching. She was fairly certain he wasn’t even aware he was doing it, and once again she longed to reach out and take one of those hands. Soothe him. Be strong for him.</p><p>“I told you I loved you, Kara.”</p><p>
  <em>Oh Rao.</em>
</p><p>Time stood still—Kara would have testified to this fact. Sound, light, time, everything—frozen.</p><p>She wondered if this was what it felt like to die, to wither away inside, all hope crushed. Carelessly destroyed. Because she remembered Mon-El’s face that day, the day she found out his true identity—and she remembered the cold way she’d received Mon-El’s first-ever declaration of love. She remembered the satisfaction she'd felt when she saw how it seemed to kill him inside when she told him it was over. And she remembered the deep shame that came later for ever allowing herself to rejoice in his pain.</p><p>Mon-El gave a short, mirthless laugh. "And you threw me away.”</p><p>The last part he said so softly Kara wouldn’t have heard it without her super hearing. But she didn’t need to hear because it was all there in his eyes, every time she looked at him. <em>You didn’t love me</em>, they accused her. <em>You never loved me</em>. Kara could feel years of Mon-El's bitter disappointment and pent-up pain rolling over her in waves. <em>Did you ever even care about me at all?</em></p><p>Her stomach clenched and she looked down for a second or two, struggling to hold back the hot tears she felt pricking her eyes. The way she—in Mon-El’s post-Crisis memory—destroyed his love for her? Loud and clear. She reminded herself that wanting to clear the air with Mon-El—set him straight about her feelings for him—would not only be dangerous for his mental health, but selfish, like J’onn said. And without being able to tell him the truth, she had no idea what she could ever say that would make him feel better.</p><p>Kara lifted her gaze to the stars, which burned cold and clear above them, now that the clouds had parted. Since they'd chosen to set up camp in a valley situated far from the mainland and any major city, she could see way more stars than she'd ever been able to see from her roof in National City. But they weren't her stars. Well, they were, but as with Mon-El, time had changed the constellations into strangers she didn't recognize. Not anymore.</p><p>Kara was jolted back to earth when Mon-El slapped his hands on his thighs and laughed again, louder than before, but just as mirthless. In that moment, Kara realized she really didn't care for Mon-El's bitter laugh—a realization that made her heart ache even more. There was no scenario in which she'd ever imagined it was possible to dislike Mon-El's laugh—but here they were.</p><p>"But hey, at least that little show of murderous familial dysfunction was all the incentive I needed to stage a jailbreak,” Mon-El said, shrugging. “Escaped in a pod, got sucked into a disruption, bada bing, ended up here—" he spread his arms wide, gesturing towards the Legionnaire encampment "—in the 31st century.”</p><p>In the dancing yellow light, cast by the campfire flames, Mon-El's expression was half grave, half amused. But not the good kind of amused, Kara noted. The bad kind. The mean kind.</p><p>But before she could figure out what Mon-El could possibly find amusing in any part of the story he'd just told her, he leaned towards Kara until his face was just inches from hers. Paused.</p><p>Kara's pulse gave a violent leap. She wasn't sure if it was the darkened expression in Mon-El's eyes or his sudden proximity. But what she did know, in that moment, without even a shadow of doubt, was that no matter what world or what universe they were living in—Mon-El was fire, she was kindling. And she was doomed. Because Mon-El just sat there for a moment, studying Kara's face as if he couldn't figure out what exactly he'd ever seen in her.</p><p>And it broke her heart.</p><p>Finally, when Kara honestly wasn't sure whether Mon-El was planning to kiss her (doubtful) or tell her to go to hell (far more likely) he sighed deeply and leaned away, turning his gaze back to the campfire.</p><p>“So I guess it all worked out,” was all he said.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>It gets better for this Mon-El, I promise! But he and Tasmia do have a lot of fun torturing Kara, which RUDE?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Kara Versus a Knock at the Door</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"Not every love story is simple, but in time, the truth always reveals itself..."</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This larger story weaves in the events of my first ever fic--"The Lofty Farewell"--so if you've read that, parts of this (eventually) novel-length story will sound familiar.</p><p>Just FYI!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>National City, 2018 (Earth 38)</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Director Danvers. Director Danvers.</p><p>Kara hated change. Change sucked. Change made her stomach churn. Change made her uncomfortable.</p><p>Change like James outing himself to the world as Guardian. Change like Winn leaving. Brainy staying. Mon-El... no. Not thinking about that. Nope nope nope.</p><p>But Director Danvers. That she could get behind. Of course it meant J'onn wouldn't be at the DEO because he was off wandering the world doing Rao knows what. But other than that, and all that other stuff she wasn't thinking about at all, Director Danvers was great! Totally great. She would focus on Director Danvers.</p><p>She exhaled slowly, trying to come up with some way to lighten the mood, to keep Alex from feeling… well, as sucky and uncomfortable as she was trying not to feel. After all the turmoil and horror and pain caused by Reign and the other Worldkillers, they could use some light. "What about you? Director Danvers! You're just so brave."</p><p>Alex snorted and rolled her eyes heavenward, like Lord, give me strength with this one, and Kara mentally high-fived herself for successfully maneuvering around a potentially tearful situation.</p><p>“Yeah, look at you. Okay?" Alex smiled wryly. “I mean, leaving your mom after you just found her…” She waved her hand for emphasis. “Coming back to Earth? I mean, that takes courage."</p><p>"Mmm." Kara shook her head. She didn’t want to talk about how much it was killing her not to run back to Argo, to her mother and her people. Or how much it was eating her up that she didn’t feel quite as guilty as she probably should for not running back to Argo, her mother, her people. And she really didn’t want to talk or even think about how much she wished she could have run away from all of it — Earth, Argo, the DEO, all of it — to a secret planet that a Durlan emissary once spoke of to a young Daxamite prince...</p><p>No. Oh, Rao, she couldn’t break down. Now wasn’t the time for crying. Crying was for later. With lots of ice cream and old movies. Casablanca, probably. That seemed appropriate.</p><p>“I just realized that everything that makes me me is here.” She looked over at Alex and could see she needed reassuring. She had that look on her face, the look Alex got when she wanted to comfort Kara but she also wanted to cry, which totally pissed her off, and that also made her want to cry. Basically, there would be a whole lot of crying soon and neither of them wanted that.</p><p>“This is my home. With you.” She smile at Alex reassuringly. “On this couch," she continued, patting the back of the couch lovingly. If this couch could talk, she mused, and then realizing where her thoughts had drifted, again, shook them away. “With this insanely huge pizza that we just downed,” she added cheerfully, but not too cheerfully because Alex would know.</p><p>Truth be told she could probably eat another whole pie, but she knew Alex would competitive-eat, slice-for-slice, and she didn't need Alex's indigestion on her conscience.</p><p>Alex eyed Kara shrewdly. "There's no pizza on Argo, huh?" she said, making her Aaaw, poor baby face at Kara.</p><p>"Nope," Kara responded quickly. She bit her lip, trying not to smile, but a small grin escaped anyway.</p><p>Alex relaxed against the cushions and sighed dramatically. "That's a shame."</p><p>Kara laughed and made a face at her. They sat quietly for a moment, comfortably silent.</p><p>She felt Alex shift a little on the couch and looked over at her. Though not a body language expert like her sister, she could tell Alex had something important she was struggling to find the words to say, and Kara was just a little worried about the direction this conversation might go. But she held her breath (and her tongue) and waited for Alex’s words to catch up with whatever was going on in that head of hers.</p><p>"You have no idea..." Alex began, twisting and untwisting a napkin she held, and Kara knew she was thinking about what Kara had given up, about everything Kara had given up, by returning to Earth. "...how happy I am that you came back."</p><p>Kara saw Alex’s hesitation, and her concern… and her dangerously sparkly eyes that spelled imminent tears, and Kara just could not handle tears right now. Not now. Alex was such a badass when it came to protecting someone else, but when that someone else was her or Kara, it was always so much harder for her. And Kara knew that as glad as Alex was to have her back, she also felt guilty and selfish for being so relieved.</p><p>Kara reached over and gave Alex's shoulder a loving and very gentle squeeze. Alex was strong for a human, but Kara still sometimes forgot that even a squeeze could be too much, and Alex often had the bruises to show for it.</p><p>Alex sighed and glanced at Kara, worry creasing her forehead. "Are we gonna be okay?"</p><p>Are we? Kara wondered. She looked at Alex's increasingly furrowed brow and sighed, too. Then she smiled in what she imagined was a totally convincing way at her sister.</p><p>“Yeah. We're gonna be okay,” she responded, and hoped that her voice sounded a lot more confident than she actually felt.</p><p>Alex grinned back at her, obviously relieved. Chalk one up for the Krytonian, she thought. Yay me. But we are gonna be okay, she repeated to herself. Everything will be one hundred percent okay.</p><p>A loud knock at the door broke the silence, making both women jump a little. Kara, embarrassed that her super hearing had failed to detect anyone coming down the building’s hallway, laughed a little as she put her hand over her heart and exhaled in an exaggerated that totally startled me kind of way.</p><p>“I know, right?” Alex responded, her own hand covering her heart. Then, “That must be him?”</p><p>Kara looked towards the door, squinted. “Yep. That’s him,” she confirmed and tried to squelch the sudden fluttering happening in her stomach. Maybe I shouldn’t have gone quite so hard with the pizza, she thought as she hauled herself off the couch. She turned and offered Alex her hand, and they both oomphed as she pulled Alex quickly to her feet.</p><p>Alex smiled. “I’ll just be going then,” she said, setting her plate of crumbs, discarded olives, and pizza crusts on the coffee table and grabbing the still half-full wine bottle. “But this bad boy is coming with me.”</p><p>“Fine, fine,” Kara nodded, laughing at Alex’s complaints as she half-pushed, half-pulled her towards the door.</p><p>Just as they neared the door, there was another knock and Kara’s heart skipped a beat. Like, literally. That was a thing it did. Just skipped a beat.</p><p>Alex halted and grabbed Kara’s arm. “You okay?” she asked quietly, fully aware the visitor could hear every word she said and fully not caring, and her eyes searched Kara’s in that annoying I’m a trained body language expert way she had.</p><p>Kara nodded and tried to look totally calm and cool and collected and absolutely not the opposite of calm and/or cool and collected.</p><p>“I’m fine,” she said and smiled. “See? This is my I’m fine smile.”</p><p>“Hmph.” Alex chewed on her lip thoughtfully, then released Kara’s arm. Pulling her into a hug she said, “Call me later.” Kara noted it wasn’t actually a question.</p><p>She tried to imagine a universe in which she would want to talk to anyone later, after… this. But she smiled and said of course I will and I love you because that’s what Alex needed to hear before she would just get out of her house already.</p><p>Kara opened the door so Alex could leave. As Alex stepped through the door and into the hallway, she offered a small, encouraging smile to the man standing there, tall and stoic, trying to look casual and not at all nervous and failing spectacularly at both.</p><p>“Mon-El,” Alex greeted him, her voice quiet, all business.</p><p>“Hey Alex,” Mon-El replied.</p><p>As Alex moved to pass by him, she dropped any formality and reached out to squeeze his arm. He gave her a small, sweet, totally Mon-El kind of smile, quickly covered her hand with his, squeezed, then gave it a gentle pat and released her.</p><p>Alex turned and gave Kara a final, encouraging smile, then walked away, leaving a boy from Daxam and a girl from Krypton standing awkwardly in the hallway of Kara’s apartment building, silently staring at each other.</p><p>Mon-El seemed to come alive first. “Can I…?” He gestured towards her open doorway.</p><p>“Oh my gosh, yes! Please! Come in!" Kara chuckled nervously, her stomach churning in a way that had her really wishing she hadn't eaten that last slice of pizza, and waved towards her loft almost frantically. "Of course…I mean, yeah...”</p><p>She moved aside, letting Mon-El maneuver through the door and into the loft apartment she suddenly realized he hadn’t set foot in for nearly eight years.</p>
<hr/><p>After a minute of silently watching Mon-El wander around the apartment, taking everything in, his hands skimming lightly over tables, chairs, books, the back of the couch, her bookshelves, Kara decided this whole situation really could have been a lot worse.</p><p>Yes, she had an overwhelming urge to cry and her stomach was most definitely not playing nice, and yes, it would’ve been nice if Mon-El didn't look quite so... at <em>home</em> in her loft, but all things considered, she was still glad he was here.</p><p>Mon-El stopped at the tall table in the kitchen area, placing a hand on the countertop and shoving the other deep into the pocket of his Legion sweatpants, as he continued scanning the loft. Kara’s eyes were drawn to his hand when he began running his fingers lightly back and forth on the countertop, which was really so very Mon-El. A memory of the way he used to unconsciously run his long, beautiful fingers along any smooth surface his hand lighted on-- tables, books, phone screens, pillows, backs, bare skin..<em>.</em></p><p>Kara closed the door with a little more force than she had intended and flinched as it slammed against the frame. Mon-El jumped, startled by the unexpected and overloud bang. He whipped around to face Kara, his hands thrown out defensively, his brows nearly reaching his hairline.</p><p>Trying not look as dumb as she felt, she huffed and grumbled, "Pfft. Stupid hinge." She walked briskly to where Mon-El stood, still frozen in a defensive pose. "Been meaning to get that fixed," she added in what she hoped was a smooth manner, waving vaguely in the direction of the door. She stole a glance to see if Mon-El was buying what she was selling, but his face was strangely unreadable at the moment. He <em>was</em> visibly more relaxed, though, and his heart had stopped racing, not that she was paying particular attention to his heartbeat or anything. It was merely an observation.</p><p>"So? Is it the same as you remembered?" she asked, gently nudging his shoulder with her own, then almost immediately wanted to smack herself in the head. <em>Bringing up the past? Way to be insensitive, Zor-El.</em></p><p>But Mon-El only smiled softly. "It's still so... you know, bright<em>." </em>He gestured vaguely towards the middle of the room, then placed one hand on the countertop again and returned the other to his pocket.</p><p>Bright? Kara looked around the lamplit room, noting the way the blackened sky outside seemed to creep into the loft, dimming the lamps and lengthening their shadows. Sure, it’s bright and cheerful in the daytime when light practically pours into every corner, thanks to my amazing floor-to-ceiling windows, she thought, but the only light coming in through the windows at the moment is from the streetlights outside. And it isn't like the chandelier and lamps inside are all that bright—</p><p>Possibly sensing her confusion, Mon-El rushed to clarify, "No, I mean— well, we don't have a whole lot of stuff available to decorate our living areas with in the 31st century." He shrugged slightly and rocked back a little on his heels. "I... I'd forgotten how colorful and—and how welcoming a home could be." He smiled a tight smile, a smile that gave Kara the feeling Mon-El meant what he said, but also that something else, something larger and much darker, lay beneath. Puzzled, she wondered what that <em>something else</em> could be.</p><p>After a moment, she realized that Mon-El was lightly drumming his fingers on the countertop and regarding her in silence. It suddenly occurred to her that it was quite possibly <em>her</em> turn to speak, but Mon-El beat her to it by unexpectedly clapping and then rubbing his clasped hands together in a very businesslike way.</p><p>"Anyway," he said briskly, fixing his gaze on Kara, "the message I received said you needed to talk to me about something?"</p><p>Her mouth went dry as bone at his curious, expectant look. Sure, earlier in the day she'd <em>wanted</em> this meeting, even thought it was super important they have a conversation, but now the idea of them talking about anything serious-- like, face-to-face, in her loft, at night, all alone-- well, she was starting to think that being forced to listen to Winn lecture her -- again-- on auteur theory and the Hitchcock effect would be preferable.</p><p><em>Pull it together. You got this.</em> But she wasn't completely sure she <em>did</em>. Because ever since Argo it had become increasingly difficult for Kara to prevent memories from their former life together from popping unbidden into her head at the worst possible moments. And since the memories flashing through her mind were most often of their more... <em>intimate</em> times together, it was-- well, it was extremely disconcerting, to say the least.</p><p>Kara exhaled slowly, pushing those thoughts far, <em>far</em> away. "Yes," she said, propping one hand on her hip and wagging a finger at him, as if to say <em>fair point</em>, with the other one. "Questions." She hesitated, then through sheer force of will smiled at him, doing her level best to appear more confident than she felt. "I do actually have two questions I wanted to ask you before you, you know," she used her hand and a <em>whoosh</em> sound-effect to mimic a Legion cruiser flying off into space.</p><p>"Right." Mon-El stuck his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "Well, I will try my best to answer them for you," he replied calmly. He flashed her a little half-smile and cocked his head. "Unless they're about quantum physics or differential calculus, in which case, Brainy is your guy."</p><p>Kara sighed. He was joking. This was him making a joke, because of <em>course</em> he would joke around at a time like this. Classic Mon-El. Seven years spent superheroing in a dystopian future and he still tried to cover his discomfort with humor. Well, actually, okay, that made sense. Obviously a sense of humor would come in handy when stranded in a dystopian future, away from friends and family, fighting for justice across the galaxies.</p><p>Mon-El grimaced. "Sorry, I did that thing again, with the humor..." He laughed at Kara's <em>ya think?</em> expression, then gestured towards the couch. "Can we, uh, sit?"</p><p>"Um..." He wanted to sit? On the <em>couch? </em>Which, obviously was totally fine and not a big deal at all because that is exactly what couches were for. Sitting. "Yeah, sure, of course," she continued, nodding in the direction of the couch, hoping he didn't notice how her voice was suddenly breathier than normal.</p><p>It took them a few moments to get settled. There was one awkward moment when Mon-El grabbed her red throw from the back of the couch and, with a flourish, shook it out and draped it carefully over his legs, making sure there was plenty of blanket left for Kara. It was something familiar, something <em>intimate</em>, something he'd done a million times, but that was-- well, that was <em>before</em>. And right away Kara’s mind had begun reminding her of how they used to cuddle on the couch, sharing ice cream and binge-watching all the shows Kara thought were vitally important for Mon-El to see, and how much she'd reveled in that closeness, plus everything that came <em>after</em>, when the shows were over-- <em>Nope. Not going there.</em></p><p>Kara had risked a glance at Mon-El and saw the exact moment it hit him, the significance of what he'd done with the blanket. He froze, all the blood draining from his face and his eyes widening almost comically.</p><p>The impulse to giggle was strong, but she’d fought it hard because Mon-El was clearly mortified, if his openmouthed stare was any indication.</p><p>Wordlessly, and with an overly-solemn expression, she'd taken the other end of the blanket and draped it more fully over her own legs, tucking the edges under her thighs. Then she’d lightly patted her lap and said briskly to no one in particular, "There we are."</p><p>Mon-El, who’d been watching her antics with the blanket through increasingly narrowed eyes, chuckled and grinned good-naturedly, as his brow cleared and the color rushed back to his cheeks. "You're mocking me, aren't you?" he said, as a smile played around his mouth, and a traitorous part of Kara was fiercely happy she could still read him. When he'd first returned, all she could see was how different he was, but gradually she realized he was still the same annoying, lovable, frustrating, heroic Daxamite, just... seasoned. And lately, as far as she was concerned, just a little bit too sad.</p><p>And now, here they sat for an uncomfortably long moment, strained smiles stretching across each of their faces, and Kara was sure it was obvious that neither one of them knew where-- or how-- to begin.</p><p>Again, Mon-El was first to break the silence, leaving Kara batting zero for two. "Hey, actually, you know what? I'm glad you called me over because I had something I wanted to talk to you about, too."</p><p>Kara suddenly had a panicky feeling in her belly, the kind she always got whenever she was around Mon-El and he mentioned wanting "to talk." What could he possibly want to talk to her about? Nothing good, she knew that much. It was rarely, if ever, anything <em>good</em>. Then again, a distraction wouldn't be the worst thing ever<em>.</em> Her mind was embarrassingly awhirl and a few more minutes to gather her thoughts couldn't hurt. Plus, she was possibly a little curious about what <em>he</em> wanted to talk to her about. Perhaps.</p><p>"Oh, okay, sure," she answered, straightening up and clasping her hands tightly in her lap. She adopted a formal air. "Please continue," she invited him, with exaggerated politeness and a prim little nod of the head. </p><p>Playing along, he inclined his head in a very princely manner, and replied, "Why, thank you, m'lady," his teasing voice sliding into that slightly deeper register that never failed to set Kara's heart-- and other deep, hidden parts of her-- all aflutter. </p><p>So she was extremely thankful when Mon-El turned his head to stare, unseeing, through one of the far windows, and missed the flush Kara could actually <em>feel</em> stealing across her cheeks and forehead.</p><p>Mon-El, his tone more seriously now, said, "So, I wanted to explain to you one of the reasons I gave you my Legion ring." He paused, then pulled his gaze away from the window to glance at Kara's hands, which she was still clasping tightly in her lap. He frowned.</p><p>He's frowning. Why is he frowning?</p><p>Kara tilted her head inquiringly at him. "What?" she asked, wondering what she could have done to upset him.</p><p>"Do you have it on you?" he asked, pointedly looking at her hands that were clearly Legion-ring free, then glancing up at her with what seemed like a somewhat concerned expression, which she found a little insulting, frankly. What? Did he think she lost it sometime between leaving the DEO balcony and arriving home? I mean, she had pockets, for Rao's sake.</p><p>"Um, of course I do," she answered with the teensiest bit of attitude because honestly. She reached into her pocket, wrapped her fingers tightly around the ring, and slowly pulled it out.</p><p><em>Wait. He isn’t going to ask for it back, is he? </em>Kara fought a moment of rising panic. Because she was pretty sure there was a rule somewhere that once you tossed a person your Legion ring, and told said person it was high time she had a Legion ring of her own-- well then said person should be able to keep that Legion ring for as long a time as she so desired, up to and including forever. There was definitely a rule. She was pretty sure even Daxamites knew the rule--</p><p>"Kara?"</p><p>With a sigh, she slowly unclenched her fingers and opened her hand so he could see the ring resting on her palm.</p><p>A look of immense relief crossed Mon-El's face. "Good, good, keeping the ring close at all times is the best idea." Ignoring her derisive snort, he cracked his knuckles, then gestured towards the ring. "Okay, so I had Brainy modify the functions of the ring so it would be specific to you and ready to psychically interface with your brainwaves."</p><p>Kara didn’t actually freeze at Mon-El’s words, but there <em>was</em> a definite stiffening that caused nearly all the motion in her body to cease. "He did what now?" Her eyes narrowed as she looked from the ring, to Mon-El, to the ring again. </p><p>He caught her expression and laughed. "No, hey, it's not as creepy as it sounds. He modifies the functions of <em>all</em> the Legion flight rings so they're specific to each Legionnaire. And since our rings operate by mental command, he had to wipe this ring's circuitry because it applied specifically to me. Now it's ready for your customization."</p><p>"Oh. That's... cool."</p><p>"Mhmm," Mon-El agreed, nodding. "I was going to have Brainy explain it to you later, but since I'm here..." He pointed to the ring and cast an inquiring gaze at Kara. "May I?"</p><p>She must have had a look because he chuckled a little and said, "I'll give it back, I promise." On her quick nod, he plucked it from her palm and held it so the Legion's crest was facing upwards.</p><p>"Okay, now watch carefully. If you rotate the L symbol like <em>this</em>”—he flicked his fingers in a quick pattern over the ring and a beam of light shot out of it, like Mon-El had just flipped on a flashlight and was shining it at the ceiling—“then voila!"</p><p>His smile flashed in the bright light emanating from the ring, and he was looking at her with such boyish excitement that it set her heart thudding like a bass drum in her ears.</p><p>Oh, there you are, Mon-El. She'd missed that guy.</p><p>"The ring used to send out a distress signal," he went on, the excitement in his voice building, "but I had Brainy modify it into a relay device."</p><p>"A relay device," Kara repeated, aiming a questioning look at the excited Daxamite.</p><p>He just bobbed his head up and down vigorously.</p><p>It took a moment for Kara to fully process what he was saying. A memory surfaced of contacting the DEO from Argo after Selena and the witches stole J'onn's spaceship, and it hit her.</p><p>"Wait, you mean like Kryptonian cache crystals? Like we used to contact Winn from my father's lab on Argo?"</p><p>"Well, sort of. Basically, Brainy reconfigured it to be--" he paused, brows raised, and leaned towards Kara. She leaned in, too, holding her breath. It was like his excitement was literally reeling her in. Which was, she thought, uncool. Also, annoying.</p><p>"What?" she asked breathlessly, smacking at Mon-El's shoulder. "Mon-El, what did he reconfigure it to be?"</p><p>Mon-El chuckled and leaned closer, visibly struggling to regain his composure. "He reconfigured it to be”—his deep voice was suddenly low and conspiratorial— “a transdimensional phone line."</p><p>He straightened up, his expression now a weird hybrid of eager and smug, but Kara barely noticed.</p><p>She blinked at him. Once. Twice. "A phone line," she said, rather blankly.</p><p>"A <em>transdimensional</em> phone line," Mon-El repeated, his eyes shining with barely-restrained excitement.</p><p>She looked at him dubiously. "So what you're saying," she said slowly, as his meaning became more clear and she was beginning to fit all the pieces together, "is that it's basically a... what? Like, a holographic Kryptonian cache-crystal burner phone?"</p><p>"Basically." Mon-El grinned. "That's an apt description. It's good for more than just one use, so there's that. And when you activate it and I pick up the call, Brainy configured it so I'll actually see a holographic projection of you!" He checked himself, cleared his throat. "Obviously," he continued, more calmly, "you will see a holographic projection of yours truly." He pointed to himself with both thumbs. "Yep, this guy. Sorry about that," he added, with a quick wink.</p><p>Kara's answering smile was involuntary, as she was still stuck on the idea of Brainy programming a holographic projection of her. It wasn't exactly a comfortable thought. <em>I mean, who knows what kind of bizarre outfit Brainy programmed for me-- oh. </em>She mentally clapped her hand to her forehead. <em>I'll be in my super suit. No question</em>. Brainy was slightly obsessed with it. He was especially intrigued with all the hidden pockets, so she was constantly smacking his hands away as he would try to point out places on her suit where he guessed a pocket <em>could</em> be.</p><p>Mon-El was watching her, his expression fading from animated to slightly anxious. "I, uh—I wanted to be able to keep in touch, you know”—he waved his free hand in her direction—“with you. Sure, we're going to be in different centuries and all, but that doesn't mean we can't keep tabs on each other, maybe share some superheroing tips...?" Trailing off, he reach up a hand and scratched his lip. "I mean, if you happen to be interested in doing that at all," he added.</p><p>Kara's lips twitched at his suddenly stiff and polite tone. She heaved an exaggerated sigh. "Sure, I guess I'd be okay with that," she replied offhandedly.</p><p>Mon-El released the breath he'd been holding, bobbed his head a few times, and flashed one of those shy Mon-El smiles at her, making her grin back at him automatically. Then Kara realized something important that she could <em>not</em> believe she had overlooked until now.</p><p>"Wait a sec!" she exclaimed, frowning thoughtfully. She sat up straighter. "How will that even work?" she inquired, looking pointedly at Mon-El's bare ring finger.</p><p>Mon-El looked at his hand, then back at Kara, his expression blank. He tapped a finger against his lip thoughtfully. "Oh, did I forget to mention that Brainy is already working on a new Legion ring for me?" he asked, the very picture of innocence.</p><p>Kara shook her head, threw out her hands like she wanted to strangle him, and cast him her best <em>Uh, DUH?</em> look. </p><p>"I probably should have led with that," Mon-El replied, his tone a bit sheepish. "Sorry." But his cheerful voice and and teasing smile contradicted the apology.</p><p>Kara rolled her eyes, laughing in spite of herself. There was the Mon-El she remembered. She hated that he had to leave, just when she finally felt like he-- <em>her</em> Mon-El-- was really back. Her gaze flitted back to the ring, still casting its beam of light upwards. Kryptonian technology was far superior to Earth's, of course, but this 31st century tech was beyond anything she had ever seen, even back on Krypton. It genuinely amazed her, all the things this tiny piece of tech could actually do.</p><p>"Cool," she said, drawing out the word slowly, then looked up quickly at Mon-El when she heard him chuckle. "What?" she asked, her smile widening involuntarily for no discernible reason. "It <em>is</em> cool."</p><p>"Yes," Mon-El replied without hesitation, his eyes crinkling at the edges. "The 31st century is <em>cool</em>." He delivered the statement in a tone that was suspiciously familiar.</p><p>Kara rolled her eyes at him. She knew he was making fun of the way she gushed about the 31st century technology back when he had shown her the footage Brainy had compiled to recreate her fight with Reign, but her heart still clenched painfully at the way Mon-El always seemed to remember even the most inane things she said to him. Yes. She'd <em>definitely</em> missed that guy.</p><p>Now is not the time, she scolded herself. Sadness is for later.</p><p>Mon-El flicked his fingers over the L symbol again, the opposite way this time, and the light shut off. He held the ring out to Kara and she took it back gratefully. A sudden fierce sense of possessiveness swept over her, triggering another memory.</p><p>It was when Mon-El had tricked Winn-- again-- into breaking him out of the DEO all those months ago. It hadn’t taken much to figure out where they’d gone. She’d quickly found them on the Legion ship, and was determined to drag Mon-El and his stupid, newly-bearded face back to his cell.</p><p>She had been so hurt and so <em>furious</em>-- at him, at herself for caring about him with her tragically <em>human</em> heart. She remember snapping at him-- <em>Get out of my way!</em>-- and how good it felt to grab him by the shirt and <em>shove</em>, so she could get to the equipment he had stolen when he snuck out of the medbay, broke into a secure storage room, and knocked out two DEO agents. But they had struggled, and that's when she saw it.</p><p>Her mother's necklace around Mon-El's neck.</p><p>She realized he'd been wearing it the whole time, tucked safely away under his shirt, and with the way he'd been acting up to this point, it just hadn't made <em>sense</em>, not then. Mon-El's anguished expression was burned in her memory-- full of pain, frustration, <em>fear</em>-- as was the ache she felt when he pulled the necklace away from her and angrily shoved it back under his shirt. Out of sight. Now, suddenly, she <em>understood</em>. Because no way was anyone taking Mon-El's Legion ring from her. No one. Not even Mon-El. Because it was all she had left of him. And weirdly, this comforted her.</p><p>Plus, not only was it a Legion tool <em>and</em> stylish fashion accessory, apparently it was her very own transdimensional phone.</p><p>Kara still had a million questions about this whole transdimensional communications business, but there was one small detail that really stood out.</p><p>"Okay, so wait," Kara said, tucking her hair behind her ears as she turned the ring round and round in her fingers, examining the engravings and grooves and other intricate details more closely. "How will I know what time period I'm contacting? I mean, how do I know if I'm talking to the <em>you</em> who knows it's <em>me </em>transdimensionally calling you?" She tore her glance from his ring-- no, <em>her</em> ring-- and looked at Mon-El, eyebrows raised inquiringly. </p><p>Mon-El cast her an approving smile. "A <em>very</em> good question. Brainy figured out a way to configure the rings so they would sync together and, for all intents and purposes, actually <em>link</em> our timelines together. And Brainy has assured me, more than once, actually, that from this moment on, time will pass at the same rate for us.” He grinned. “Except he used several more scientific words to explain the concept and included a lot more snarky comments about my intellect, or lack thereof."</p><p>Kara frowned, twirling a piece of hair between her fingertips as she tried to make sense of the wibbly wobbly timey wimey-ness of it all. "Okay, but what does that mean, exactly?"</p><p>Mon-El scratched at his chin and bit his lower lip. "Well, say tonight I leave for the future, and three days go by. You're just hanging out here at the loft, resting up after a busy day of superheroing, and you think to yourself, <em>Hey, why don't I call my Legionnaire friend Mon-El</em>-- not that I'm insinuating you can only go three days without wanting to talk to me--"</p><p>"Mon-El," Kara interrupted, recognizing a ramble coming on. "Focus."</p><p>Mon-El sighed. "Yes. Right. Thank you. So, three days from today, if you decide to use your handy-dandy Legion ring to contact me, only three days will have gone by for me, too." He looked into her eyes, then looked away quickly. "Yep. Seventy-two hours," he continued, taking a deep breath and reaching up to rub his neck, still avoiding Kara's eyes. "From this point on--" he coughed and cleared his throat "-- we will be-- we <em>are</em>-- connected." He gave a nervous laugh. "Chronologically-speaking, obviously."</p><p>"Obviously," she agreed, rolling her eyes while desperately hoping it masked the way her heart jumped when Mon-El said "connected."</p><p>Mon-El nodded his head and continued. "Bottom line? Because of that connection, you will always contact the <em>me</em> who knows it's <em>you</em> transdimensionally calling." He ducked his head almost shyly and looked up at her through his lashes in that annoyingly endearing way he had, adding softly, "That way we'll never have to worry about losing seven years of our friendship, ever again.” And his gaze was so steady and his voice so earnest that she knew he meant it. Like, he <em>meant it</em> meant it. He meant it <em>so</em> hard.</p><p>And just like that, Kara's mind reminded her of how Mon-El had told her in the garden on Argo that he had been trying to convince himself friendship was the best thing for them, but realized he had been lying to himself. And for just one moment, one beautiful moment, a weight that had been pressing on her for nearly a year had been lifted, and Mon-El was giving her <em>that</em> look and she was finally, <em>finally</em> touching him, actually caressing his cheek, moving closer and closer-- until that damn robot had tried to kill them, and everything came crashing back down around her, heavier than ever. And now her heart just <em>ached</em> when he was around and she knew she had to get over that. And quickly, if she knew what was good for her. It was all just <em>so</em> exhausting.</p><p>But still...</p><p>Friendship.</p><p>"I'd like that," she said softly, her gaze matching his in intensity and sincerity. There were worse things than friendship, after all. Like endings. Endings were far, <em>far</em> worse.</p><p>For a moment-- a fleeting moment-- Mon-El looked desperately sad. Then he flashed her one of those self-deprecating smiles that didn’t quite reach his eyes, and Kara suspected there was a lot more he wanted to say than he was letting on. But all he said was, "Oh, hey, I almost forgot the best part. Brainy was worried about people seeing you with a Legion flight ring in this timeline, so he added a special modification." He paused and folded his arms, brows raised.</p><p>"And?" Kara asked immediately, interest piqued. And she waited. And waited some more. Finally she huffed in exasperation. "Mon-El!" she laughed and smacked his arm, then motioned for him to go on. "And?!"</p><p>Mon-El laughed as he vigorously rubbed at the spot where Kara hit him. "<em>Aaaand</em>..." he drawled, "when you're wearing it?" He lowered his voice and put his hand to the side of his mouth like he was sharing a deep, dark, delicious secret. "You can make it turn invisible."</p><p>Then he linked his hands together behind his head, leaned back, and cocked an eyebrow at Kara, his expression clearly asking, <em>How do you like them apples?</em></p><p>Kara looked at the ring wonderingly. Invisible, huh? That could be fun. And it would eliminate any need to answer the inevitable awkward questions, like why she had the ring, who gave her the ring, <em>why</em> he gave her the ring, <em>how</em> he gave her the ring...</p><p>"That's incredible," she said softly, and meant it. She was genuinely impressed. She quickly slipped the ring back into her pocket and smiled widely at Mon-El. "Thank you, Mon-El," she said sincerely. She smoothed the blanket more snuggly around her legs, and realized that for the first time in a long time she felt completely at peace. And it felt <em>wonderful</em>.</p><p>He shrugged. "You earned it," he said simply.</p><p>There was a moment of comfortable silence, interrupted only by the rumbling cacophony of nighttime traffic sounds they could hear rising up from the National City streets below.</p><p>Mon-El finally released a slow, shaky breath. "So that's <em>my</em> news," he said, laughing a little as he raised a hand to scratch at his ear. "Sorry I commandeered the conversation like that." He cocked his head to the side. "You said you have two questions for me?"</p><p>Kara's stomach flipped, and she felt the peace she'd been enjoying shatter into a million pieces and blow away, like puffs of dandelion seeds dancing on the wind.</p><p><em>Well, this is going to be a long evening</em>, Kara thought.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So...</p><p>Let's just say things are about to get very complicated for our Supergirl.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Kara Versus the Proposition</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Winn has a proposition for Kara. It's a doozy.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sometimes there's really no option.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>National City, 3 Years Later (Earth Prime)</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“What do you mean Karaoke Sister Night is cancelled?”</p><p>Even over the phone Kara could tell Alex seemed reluctant to answer. She was standing in the hallway outside her apartment loft, jabbing her key in the lock of her front door a little harder than necessary as she struggled to balance a container of potstickers, two takeout pizza boxes, her laptop bag, and an overlarge purse she was absolutely regretting, determined to unlock the door without dropping anything, including the phone she had cradled between her shoulder and ear.</p><p>She may be an alien, but she was no Krenon. She only had the two hands.</p><p>“Don’t break your key again, Kara.”</p><p>Okay. Alex was clearly taunting her, which she very much did not appreciate. Because rude. “What? I’m not gonna!” She rolled her eyes… then cursed as she narrowly avoided dropping the container of potstickers.</p><p>Ignoring Alex’s running commentary about Supergirl heroically battling jammed deadbolts and sticky locks, she shifted and shuffled until she was confident everything—food, laptop, purse—was safely balanced and secure, then took a deep breath and jiggled the key with just the right amount of force to flip the lock without breaking in half yet another key to her front door. "How do you do that, anyway?” she asked as she gave the door a gentle bump with her hip and rushed inside, setting her pizzas, laptop bag, purse, and phone—which she’d quickly switched to speakerphone—on her tall table in the kitchen area.</p><p>Alex snorted. “Hello. Highly trained special agent? Also, you’re doing that huffy thing you do when you’re upset with me. And that usually leads to broken things.”</p><p>Kara huffed and grumbled, “Pfft. I don’t do a huffy thing.”</p><p>She could hear Alex laughing again as she speed-changed from her work clothes into some comfy sweats and an oversized t-shirt, the perfect attire for lounging around her loft eating pizza and <em>not</em> being upset that her sister cancelled Karaoke Sister Night for the second week in a row.</p><p>Then, in what would be the blink of a human’s eye, Kara was comfortably settled on her couch, clutching a stack of two slices of her favorite Hawaiian pizza in one hand and the TV remote in her other one, her phone now sitting next to an ice-cold beer on the coffee table.</p><p>Alex had stopped laughing, and Kara could practically feel the weight of her sister’s uncharacteristic silence.</p><p>“I really am sorry, Kara.” Alex’s voice was softer now… less jokey. “J’onn and I are staking out that suspected Cadmus Black Site lab I was telling you about.”</p><p>Kara groaned and took a big bite of cheesy deliciousness. Hey. Just because she’d been stood up—again—didn’t mean she had to let her Sister Night party food go to waste. “I can’t believe Cadmus is a thing again,” she said through a mouthful of pizza.</p><p>“First of all, gross.” Kara could practically hear the scowl in her sister’s voice. “Also, I’m hungry, so—rude.”</p><p>Serves her right. Ditching her for a stupid stakeout. Which was important and also her job, but still.</p><p>As Alex began sharing minor details about the case, Kara absently chased stray strings of mozzarella and thought about how much she <em>didn’t</em> want to think about all the changes they kept uncovering post-Crisis—like ugh, Cadmus!—or how much it bothered her that she still couldn’t get in touch with Mon-El to see how the destruction of the multiverse and rebirth of this Earth Prime Universe had changed the future.</p><p>Obviously, being an investigative reporter for Catco Worldwide Media opened a lot of doors, giving Kara all the room she needed to pursue leads as both Kara Danvers and Supergirl. This was especially helpful now that the DEO was kaput, which had limited the Super Friends' access to the decades of DEO resources they used to (slightly illegally, maybe) access from the Tower. But as far as the fate of the future that Kara and Mon-El—no, that Kara and the Legion of Super-Heroes worked so hard to change? All the people they saved? Their status was still a mystery.</p><p>Winn had been no help when he showed up several months back to fight the evil alt universe Winn Schott. No matter how many times she tried to get him to give her even a hint of what it was like in the thirty-first century, he’d just say “Spoilers, Kara,” and change the subject. Not that she cared specifically about any one person in the future. Especially not the one who mysteriously went radio silent after Oliver rebuilt the universe. The one who stopped taking her Legion ring calls and stopped sending her messages—</p><p>Speaking of messages...</p><p>“Do you hear that?” Kara filtered out all white noise in her loft and honed in on a familiar blipping sound coming from her bedroom.</p><p>“Do I hear what?”</p><p>
  <em> Oh my god.</em>
</p><p>Kara dropped her pizza crusts on the coffee table and snatched up her phone. “Alex, I gotta go!”</p><p>Her quick “Callyoulaterbyeeeee” <em>almost</em> drowned out Alex’s “Kara, do NOT hang up on m—” as Kara ended the call, tossed her phone to the side, and was in her bedroom yanking open her nightstand drawer before the phone even hit the couch.</p><p>In her excitement, she’d jerked the whole top drawer free from the stand, but unbothered she tossed the drawer on her bed and dug around until she found it—her Legion Flight Ring. “Ah ha!” she said, grinning and holding the ring—engraved with the Legion’s signature ‘L’ and a comet—aloft. And sure enough, the low pinging sound, imperceptible to the human ear, but at just the right frequency for Kara to hear, was coming from the ring.</p><p>Kara hastily slid the shiny ring onto her finger, flicked her suddenly unsteady fingers in a quick pattern over the ‘L’ symbol, and a beam of light shot out of it—in the shape of... well, not Mon-El.</p><p>She stretched her hand out in front of her, bringing the hologram into focus. It took a second to fully process what—or rather, whom—she was seeing.</p><p>The hologram was decidedly Winn Schott-shaped.</p><p>“Winn!” Kara couldn’t restrain an excited fist pump when she saw one of her best friends—and now a kickass thirty-first century Legionnaire. “Yay! Hi!”</p><p>“Oh my God! Kara!” Tiny hologram Winn dramatically clutched at his chest. “Finally!”</p><p>“Wait, Winn? How are you —?” Kara paused and frowned. If Winn was contacting her via her Legion ring, that meant he was using Mon-El’s ring, which meant—</p><p>“Kara, Mon-El is fine.” Winn’s calm voice interrupted Kara’s panicked train of thought before it could pick up steam and leave the station. “This was just the easiest way to reach you.”</p><p>It was annoying how Winn could do that. Read her like that. Kara was annoyed. It’s not like she was worried about Mon-El or anything. Please. Even though she hadn’t heard from him in several months.</p><p>Whatever.</p><p>Blowing a stray piece of hair out of her face, Kara used her free hand to pick up the drawer she’d liberated from her nightstand and gently place it back where it belonged.</p><p>Winn’s hologram flickered a little as she walked back to the couch, tossed her phone out of the way, and plopped down, steadying her hand to improve the reception. Long distance, transdimensional calls via hologram from the thirty-first century could be a little persnickety.</p><p>“Listen, Kara”—Winn’s voice was low, but firm—“we need your help.”</p>
<hr/><p>Winn’s hologram was long gone, but Kara—still lounging on her couch—stared blankly ahead, her mind whirling. Finally, she blinked dazedly a few times as she shifted and brought her knees to her chest, hugging them tightly. She cast a quick, longing look at her boxes of definitely no longer piping-hot pizzas, but food would have to wait.</p><p><em>A prophecy</em>? That was really what Winn called it. A prophesy. She absently fiddled with her Legion ring—now inactive, silent—soothed by the smooth, cool feel of the Valorium metal against her skin. Kara would be the first to admit she’d had a lot of weird experiences in her almost 30 years of life, especially during the last six-plus years she’d been protecting the Earth as her alter ego Supergirl—but a prophesy?</p><p>That was new.</p><p>Winn had actually finally given her a small glimpse of how the future had changed post multiverse apocalypse. Nothing major, he assured her, but enough to effectively drive home an emerging problem on a planet called Talok VIII that was causing ripples of unease throughout the planetary alliances the Legion was charged with protecting. And Talok VIII was also the home planet of two Legionnaires—Shadow Lass and Shadow Kid—one of whom had recently gone missing.</p><p><em>What kind of call name is Shadow Kid, anyway?</em> <em>They needed a Cisco Ramon in the thirty-first century because </em>that<em> superhero name is inspiring confidence in no one.</em></p><p>But, focus.</p><p>Prophecy.</p><p>Prophecy? About a Chosen One?</p><p><em>What, like Buffy?</em> she’d asked Winn. They agreed that hopefully this prophecy about a chosen one was <em>not</em> like Buffy. That girl never caught a break. But as Winn explained the events leading up to the prophesy of a chosen champion the Legion believed pointed directly at Kara Zor-El AKA Supergirl, she’d gazed around her loft where she spent so much time these days—finally able to take a little time for herself now that Clark was back, and finally able to make a little time for William, a handsome, sweet guy who actually <em>did </em>take the time to call her—and she couldn’t help thinking Supergirl never really caught a break either, did she?</p><p>Winn was still being cagey about Mon-El, but at least now Kara knew for sure he was <em>there</em>, still existing in the future, still leader of the Legion. She also knew he—or the Legion, really—needed Kara’s help rescuing Grev—<em>Shadow Kid? Really?</em>—and defeating some atomic axe-wielding assassin and a power-hungry Priestess Winn called Lady Memory.</p><p>
  <em>Well, this should be fun.</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>“Did Winn tell you anything else?” Alex—who it turned out had already been halfway to the loft even before she got Kara’s frantic texts—was sitting next to Kara, her arm resting along the back of the couch.</p><p>Kara hadn’t moved since texting 911 to Alex after telling Winn she’d get back to him soon. She'd stopped worrying at her Legion ring; instead, she stared unseeingly at the blanket draped over her knees, picking absently at loose threads.</p><p><em>Loose threads</em>, Karathought. <em>That’s appropriate</em>.</p><p>“Kara?” Alex waved her hand in front of Kara’s face. “Hello?”</p><p>Kara looked up, meeting Alex’s concerned—and slightly curious—gaze. “He just said the Legion believes I’m the key to ‘bringing peace back to the galactic alliance’ or something,” using air quotes to emphasize Winn’s slightly terrifying message.</p><p>Alex grimaced. “Woof.” She placed her hand over Kara’s to stop her from picking a hole into her favorite blanket. “Lady Memory? Axe-wielding assass—”</p><p>“Atomic,” Kara interrupted. “<em>Atomic</em> axe-wielding assassins.”</p><p>“—atomic axe-wielding assassins? I mean... woof.”</p><p>Judging by the way Alex was aggressively combing her fingers through her hair, Kara knew her sister was feeling—well, a little bit stressed. She also had that look on her face, the look she got when she wanted to comfort Kara but she also wanted to punch someone—anyone, really— because, hey, that always seemed to make her feel better.</p><p>Kara could relate.</p><p>“I mean, Legionnaires disappearing?” Alex sighed as she grabbed chopsticks and began digging around in the takeout container sitting on the coffee table. “That sounds pretty big, Kara. I mean, like—ha!”—she waved a crispy potsticker she’d nabbed in Kara’s face before popping it in her own mouth and continuing through a mouthful of dumpling—“like, <em>big</em> big.”</p><p>“Yeah.” While Alex was busy chewing, Kara thought about Winn’s story. About how it meant she’d be leaving the twenty-first century behind, traveling to a future she knew nothing about. Mostly because Winn wouldn’t tell her anything. Not even a teensy little hint. She thought about the people living in that future and how it would feel to see some of those people again after three years.</p><p>Well, it had been three years on <em>her</em> end. Her Legion ring was originally configured so it would sync with Mon-El’s, and, for all intents and purposes, actually <em>link</em> their timelines together. But that was <em>before</em> the multiverse was destroyed—then resurrected—and everything changed.</p><p>And Winn wouldn’t tell her how long it had been, the meanie—not unless she agreed to travel one thousand years into the future to join the Legion in their fight against some mysterious mystical whosit.</p><p>Blackmail. That’s what it was.</p><p>“Plus, you know”—Alex's voice interrupted her burgeoning ideas about how she would torture Winn the next time she talked to him—“that whole you being the Chosen One thing?”</p><p>“Okay, I’m gonna need you to never call me that again.”</p><p>“I’m just saying.”</p><p>Alex hesitated and Kara could tell she was struggling with whether to say something she clearly believed Kara wouldn’t like. “So”—Alex looked down, then casually tucked some fallen strands of hair behind her ear—“did, uh... did Winn mention… Mon-El?“</p><p>“Alex!”</p><p>“I’m sorry!” Alex threw her chopsticks on the coffee table and put her hands on her hips. “But I know you’re worried about him, don’t even try to deny it.”</p><p>“I’m not worried! I’m not!”</p><p>"Mm-hmm."</p><p>Kara sighed. “Fine. Maybe a little worried”—she made an itty-bitty gesture with her fingers—“just a little! Like, a <em>skosh</em>. Maybe. But Winn told me Mon-El’s fine, so whatever. It’s just—well, he wouldn’t give me any more details.”</p><p>Alex just raised her eyebrows as she reached to retrieve her chopsticks.</p><p>“Which, by the way”—Kara snatched up the takeout container just as Alex was reaching for it, snagged the last potsticker, and smirked at Alex’s outraged <em>no!</em> before taking a bite and sighing theatrically—“I totally get it.”</p><p>Alex grabbed the now-empty container from Kara and pouted.</p><p>“Spoilers,” Kara elaborated, in between chews.</p><p>“No.” Alex stopped pouting and pointed her chopsticks at Kara. “No! Not Doctor Who again. I’m serious.”</p><p>Kara was silent for a moment. Then she said, “The fact that you know that was a Doctor Who reference is both awesome and pathetic.”</p><p>Alex’s lips twitched. “That’s fair.” She traded the empty container for a slice of pizza, then sank into the couch, exhaling gustily, and waved her slice encouragingly at Kara. "I'm listening."</p><p>Kara, relieved she’d erased the worry lines from Alex’s face, explained a little more about the situation in the future—everything she was able to get out of Winn, anyway.</p><p>“Basically, the Legion needs me to come to the thirty-first century to fulfill some ancient prophecy, which, interestingly enough”—Kara placed her hand on Alex’s knee and raised her eyebrows in an exaggerated, can-you-believe-it kind of way—“it's apparently <em>not</em> as ancient as we are.”</p><p>Alex blinked. “Okay, that’s weird.”</p><p>“Right?”</p><p>“Well… hey, we look good for ancient hags.”</p><p>“Whoa. Nobody said anything about hags.”</p><p>“Crone buddies!” Alex sing-songed, poking Kara in the side, making her giggle.</p><p>She knew what Alex was doing, of course, and, hey, she appreciated the gesture. Clearly her efforts to downplay the tension she was feeling were fooling exactly no one—damn the crinkle! Alex clearly understood how big of a decision this was. They'd probably have to order more food—<em>maybe make an ice cream run?—</em>what with all the lists they'd need to make of the pros and cons—</p><p>“Well, obviously, you're going.”</p><p>—or maybe they wouldn't need the ice cream.</p><p>"What?" Kara definitely didn't mean for her reply to come out that high-pitched and squeaky, so after checking Alex's face for any telltale signs that she was joking, she cleared her throat and tried again. “Really? Just like that."</p><p>"Just like that." </p><p>
  <em>So, nope. Not joking.</em>
</p><p>"But—you don’t think... it’s crazy?”</p><p>“Oh, it’s definitely crazy!”</p><p>Kara burst out laughing. She couldn't help it. This is why Alex was her favorite person. She could always make her laugh, even when things seemed dark or impossible. Always. And Kara loved her for it.</p><p>“But you need to go," Alex said, twisting and untwisting a napkin she held, and Kara knew Alex was a lot more worried about this whole situation than she was letting on. </p><p>Kara didn't say anything. She looked away from Alex's restless hands, letting her eyes drift towards the window, her gaze distant. <em>What would National City look like in a thousand years? </em><span class="Apple-converted-space">she wondered.</span><em><span class="Apple-converted-space"> Did National City even </span></em><span class="Apple-converted-space">exist </span><em><span class="Apple-converted-space">in a thousand years?</span></em></p><p>Her troubled thoughts were thankfully interrupted when she felt Alex gently place a hand on her knee. She looked at her sister, and saw a mixture of sadness, longing, and determination in her expression. “You know that, right?”</p><p>“I know.”</p><p>They sat in silence for a moment. Then Alex took a deep cleansing breath and straightened her shoulders decisively. “So what are you gonna tell William?”</p><p>“William?” Kara was confused for a second. <em>What did William have to do with anyth</em>—“Oh my gosh!”—Kara buried her face in her hands—“William!”</p><p>Alex—who’d been wiping her hands on her wrecked napkin after dropping her half-eaten pizza on the table—looked at Kara. “You were going to tell William you were leaving… right?” At Kara's silence. "Yikes. Poor William."</p><p>"I know!" Kara, her face still buried in her hands, “I know! I completely forgot! We were—are—supposed to go out tomorrow night.” She felt panic rising—it was all happening so fast—all of it—and she did <em>not</em> like change. “I was even thinking it was time.” She peeked through her fingers at Alex. “You know, to <em>tell</em> him?”</p><p>Alex looked calm, but a tiny crease had appeared in her forehead. “Like, <em>tell him</em>, tell him?” she asked, her voice casual. <em>Too casual</em>.</p><p>Kara just nodded.</p><p>"There’s no coming back from that, Kara.”</p><p>Alex’s big-sisterly tone was doing absolutely nothing to help quell the rising wave of panic threatening to overwhelm Kara. “I know!”</p><p>Alex hesitated. “Are you sure?”  </p><p>Kara threw her hands in the air. “Well, I’m not sure <em>now</em>!”</p><p><span class="Apple-converted-space">Alex winced, and then fell back against the couch cushions, exhaling noisily as she shook her head at Kara. </span>"Yep. Poor William".</p><p>
  <span class="Apple-converted-space">Kara buried her face in her hands again. "I know."</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Poor William, indeed!</p><p>I'm just thinking out loud here, but I don't think things are looking up for old William.</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Not beta read, so feel free to point out any errors! :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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